Labyrinthian tightening device.



PATENTED DEC. 4, 1906.

I 0. KOLB. LABYRINTHIAN TIGHTENING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 3, 1905.

OTTO KOLB, OF KARLsR-UHE, GERMANY. LABYRINTHIAN TIGHTENING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 4, 1906.

Original application filed May 8,1905,Sorial No. 259,430. Divided and this application filed August 3, 1905. Serial No. 272.156 6.

To all whom it may concern:

L Be it known that I, Orrro KoLB, engineer, a subject of the German Emperor, and a resident of Karlsruhe, German have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Labyrinthian Tightening Devices, of which the following is a specification.

In elastic-fluid turbines the objectionable stufling-boxes and 'packings have already been replaced by lab inthian ti htening devlces for reducin t e friction turbine-shafts an the res ective parts of the casln s, a suitable liqui being introduced into t e annular chambers of the labyrinthian tightening devices and pressed by the centrlfu al force against the external walls of the c ambers, so as to hermetically divide the interiors of the casings from the ambientalr. Such known labyrinthian tightening devices resent, however, the drawback that during t e work of the elastic-fluid turbines I the liquid is very a t to escape from the annular chambers, an thus to render the tightening illusory and inactive.

My invention relates to improvements in such labyrinthian tightening devices Where by the said drawback is avoided, and also their manufacture and composition is facilitated and rendered easy when so desired.

The objects of my improvement are, first, to arran e the annular inwardly-o en chambers on t e rotary member" instea of on the stationary member, as hitherto, and to arrange the annular outwardly-op'en chambers on the stationary member, and, second, to preferably construct the lab inthian tightening device with annular dis s and distance pieces or their equivalents, so as to avoid the division of the one member in a longitudinal plane of the turbine-shaft. I attain these objects by the construction illustrated in the accompanyings drawin s, in which- Figure 1 is a vertica longitudinal section through a labyrinthian ti htening device on the line A A in Fig. 2. 1g. 2 is a cross-section through .the same on the line B B in Fig. 1, and Figs. 3 and 4.- are details which will be referred to later on.

Similar characters of reference refer to similar arts throughout the several views;

.:. The abyrinthian tightening device comprises an annular box 1 open on one side and a disk 23. The box 1 is secured on the shaft 4. between a shoulder 5 (or its equivalent),

etween the and a nut 6. The disk 2 3 is fastened with screws 7 on the respective part 8 of the cas ing. The box 1 18 in its cavity provided with a plurality of annular artition-walls 9 9, whereby a pluralit o inwardly-open chambers is formed. n a similar manner the disk 2 3 is provided with a pluralit of annular partition-walls 10 10, which a ternate with the other ones, 9 9, and form-between them-chambers which are outwardly open. It will be seen that the partitionwalls 9 9 in the box 1 partake in the revolution of the turbine-shaft 4, while the other partition-walls 10 10 are stationary. For reducing the friction between the shaft 4 and the"disk- I2-3 anannular clearance 11 is left betwee'nthe internal wall of the box 1 and the art 2Ijof the disk 2 3, while the nut 6 shou d just. touch the part 3 without producing any pressure. Through a tube 12 in the disk 2 3 and a channel 13 a suitable liquidsuch as water, oil, lycerin, analin, or the like-is introduced, (be it by means of a pump or any known droppin a lubricator,) so that during the rotation o the shaft 4 with the turbine wheel or wheels (not shown) this liquid partakes in the revolution and partly fil s the chambers of the box 1 between the several partition-walls 9 10 9 10, as is clearly shown In Figs. 1 and 2. B means of this annular layer of liquid (whic sha e is due to its centrifugal force) the interior 0 the casing is hermetically divided from the ambient air. According to there being an overpressure or a vacuum Within the casing, the annular layers of the liquid in the several chambers will adjust themselves, their depth in the radial di- 'rection varying from one side to the other side in proportion to the difference of the pressures within and without theturbine and to the number of the chambers. For a small difference of pressures a single chamti htening device differs from similar known laI) tightening devices in that with yrintlnan the latter the member with the outwardlyopen chambers (such as 2 10 10 in Fig. 1) is made to rotate, whereas with my device it is the other member with the inwardly-open chambers-that is, the box 1 with the partition-wall'sg 9 -which made' -to'rotate. Thereby the important advantage is ob tained that the tightening li uid is securely,

' vented from flowing held in the chambers of the ox 1 and pre' oil, as this is the case with the known devices by reasonof thefriction of the rotating partition-walls. The

' box 1 ma :be made n one piece with'its partition-wa Is 9 9, the same as the disk 2 3 with its partition-walls 10 10, in which case, however, the box 1 requires to be made in halves to'render possible the composition of the device.

7 To faci 'tate the manufacture and the. composition. of the labyrinthian tightening device, I refer to make. all the several partition-wa s separate] of sheet metal, as shown. Then the dis '3 is madeseparately,

also the sleeve 2, into which the channel 13 is cut. Ihe several partition-disks 10-10 are.

secured on the sleeve .2 between the collar 14 and the nave of the disk 3 by means. of a nut 15 and with the aid of annular distancepieces 16 16. In a similar manner the several partition-disks 9 9 in the box 1 are with .the aid of annular distance-pieces 17 17 secured between a shoulder and a nut 18,

screwed into the box and cast in one piece with a partitionall; Then the composition ofthe device can be .efiectedin a manner which 18 obvious to anyone versedjin-the art [to which this invention appertains. Where so eferred,of course each ft 'veralpartition-disks 9 9 10 1( may ads, in one piece with one adjoimngdist cell? or 16, respectively, or they may n p nately in OI1B p16G6 with tanee- .iepes' 17 or 16. In the firstoas annular 'isks of an L cross-section will'be produced, as is shown at Fig 3, and in the second case annular disks of a ,1, cross-section, as in v Fig. 4, will be produced, which alternate withsmopth disks. The labyrinthian tightening device may be varied without devlating from thespirlt 'of my invention.

.The subject-matter of this application is set forth, but not claimed, in my application,

Serial N 0. 259,430, filed May 8, 1905, of which this is a division. I

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure b Letters Patent, is.

1. \In a abyrinthian tightening device for' elastic-fluid turbines, the combination with a member adapted to rotate with the turbineshaft andprovided with a plurality of annular inwardly-projecting 'partltion-walls, of another member fastened on a stationary art of thecasing and rovided with a plura ity of annular outwar ly-projecting partition-walls which engage between the partition-walls of said first member and therewith form chambars for a tightening liquid.

2. In a la yrinthian tightening device for elastic-fluid turbines, the combination with a pro'ecting partition-wa teases turbine-shaft, of'an annular box open on one side and adapted to be fastened on said turbine-shaft, it being divisible in a longitudinal plane of this shaft and being provided on the inside of its'external wall with a plurality of annular inwardly-projecting part1tion-walls,

and a disk adapte to be fastened on a art of .the stationary casing on the open sie-of said annular box. and having a sleeve which surrounds the internal wall of said annular box and is rovided with a plurality of annudly-projecting partition-walls, said plurality of annular inwardly-projecting par tition-walls alternating with said plurality oflar outwar annular outwardly-projecting partition-walls and forming therewith chambers for a tightvided at the inner end with a collar, a plural- I ity of annular distance-pieces with annular outwardly-projecting partition-walls loose onv said sleeve between 1ts collar and the nave of said disk, a nut on the external end of said sleeve, a lobking-nut screwed into the end of the external wall of said annular box and made in one piece with an inwardly-projecting partition-wall, and a plurality of annular distance-pieces with annular inwardl -projecting partition-walls loose within t e ex-' ternal wall of said annular box between a' shoulder and said locking-nut, said inwardlyls alternatin with sai outwardly-projecting partition-we ls and forming therewlth chambers for a tightening liquid.

elastic-fluid turbines,the combination witha turbine-shaft, of an annular box open on one a labyrinthian tightening device'for I side and adapted to be fastened on said turbine-shaft, a disk adapted tobe fastened on a part of the stationary casing on the 0 on side. of said annular box, a sleeve surroun the internal wall of said annular box and mouited in said disk to longitudinally move and provided at the inner end with-a collar, a plurality of annular distance-pieces loose on said sleeve, a plurality of annular disks on said sleeve between its collar, said plurality ofhnnular distance-pieces andythe nave of sai disk so as to form outwardly-pro'ecting par-- tition-walls, a nut on the externa end of said sleeve, a locking-nut screwed into the end of the external wall of said annular box and made in one piece with an inwardly-projecting artition-wall, a pluralit of larger annular istance-pieces loose' wit the external wall of said annular box, and a plurality of annular disks between a shoulder of the ex- I In testimony whereof I have signed my ternal wall of said annular box, said plurality name to this specification in the presence of IO pf 1Larger annular disftance-pieoels1 and said two subscribing witnesses.

0c ing-nut, so as to orm inwar y-project- I ing partition-walls, which alternate with the OTTO KOLB' outwardly projecting partition walls and Witnesses:

form therewith chambers for a tightening V JOSEF WOLFF,

liquid. g ROBERT GUNDEL. 

